


The University of Toronto Promenade

by Jacqualine



Series: Red Jacket Series [5]
Category: Anne of Green Gables - L. M. Montgomery, Anne with an E (TV)
Genre: F/M, Red Jacket series, Sharing Clothes, There is no red jacket in this one but trust me
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-14
Updated: 2020-08-14
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:34:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,168
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25900666
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jacqualine/pseuds/Jacqualine
Summary: Anne visits Gilbert in Toronto for a special event.
Relationships: Gilbert Blythe/Anne Shirley
Series: Red Jacket Series [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1863106
Comments: 6
Kudos: 118





	The University of Toronto Promenade

**Author's Note:**

> A silly little ritual for first year med students I invented. CCHP had asked if we could have Gilbert in some of her clothes and this is what I envisioned.

"It's called 'Promenade'. It's completely absurd, but they have done it for years and a lot of alumni come out for it and it could really help me meet some people in the medical field, contacts who could offer recommendations or placements."

Anne read over that line again and again. She should go, he wanted her there, it could help his future...their future? They had announced their courtship on the last day of Christmas break. Everyone had seemed enthused but less than surprised, as though they had been expecting it for a long time. So him inviting her to Toronto wasn't completely surprising. How would it even be possible? He said he would pay for it all, had managed to save money he had budgeted for food, because his mentor Dr. Emily Oak, invited him for dinner at least three times a week, and he had picked up a job as an assistant to one of the Chemistry professors, he didn't really assist so much as clean up the classroom after experiments, but it allowed him to squirrel away more money. She had some savings too, she had been making some pocket money by proofreading essays of her classmates and tutoring a few fellow students.

Between them there was enough for her and someone to chaperone her, to travel to Toronto and back. Dr. Oak had offered the use of her guest rooms so they wouldn't even have to pay for a hotel or a boarding house. Who would be her chaperone though? She didn't think that Marilla would allow Cole to do it. That would be just too long for Anne to be alone with a man, Marilla didn't know about Cole's attraction to men and she wouldn't learn about it from Anne, so Cole wouldn't do. None of her friends would be considered acceptable, two single young women traveling would be practically vulgar to some. 

Matthew wouldn't want to go, being trapped on a train to the big city would be too much for him. She didn't know if Marilla would be able to, she had a lot of work to do on the farm at that time of year, which is also why Jerry couldn't escort her. Bash too would be too busy with the farm and she didn't think they would even be allowed in the same train compartment, with the archaic thinking that many people seemed to have.

She was seriously about to consider asking Rachel Lynde when the perfect escort dawned on her. She sat down and began writing a letter to the perfect chaperone.

Miss Stacy was mature, a widow, an experienced traveller and a kindred spirit. Anne's mind filled with visions of her and Miss Stacy having deep and lively debates about books and politics, while riding the train to Toronto. Dr Oak was her friend too so that added another reason for Miss Stacy to agree. School would be done, Miss Stacy would be free for the summer break, Anne just hoped she hadn't made any vacation plans yet.

"Dearest Anne,

I was overjoyed to receive your letter. It has been many years since I have visited with Emily or Toronto. I would love to join you on a grand adventure.

Your kindred spirit

Muriel" 

The train was truly horrendous. Muriel was well acquainted with how bad it could be and chipped in the extra money to get them a private compartment, where they could stretch out and sleep. Anne brought strawberry tarts and plum puffs, Muriel brought sugar cookies and a small bottle of alcohol. At Anne's wide eyes Muriel had laughed and held a finger over her lips, insisting Anne keep their secret. She poured a generous shot of Amaretto into each of their cups of tea...once the waiter left the compartment.

"Please never tell Rachel Lynde about this, I would be chased out of town at the end of her pitchfork." Muriel laughed, and Anne joined her. 

The alcohol made them both a bit tipsy and they giggled and told stories to each other, it also had the added benefit of helping them both fall asleep on the train.

They woke up just outside of Kingston, excited that the longest part of the trip was almost over. Anne looked at the passing landscape, bright and green in the early morning sun, she would see Gilbert in just a couple of hours, she would be in his arms. 

"Anne! Miss Stacy!" They heard him calling out their names and Anne saw his tumble of curls weaving through the people on the train platform. He hugged her quickly and then nodded his greeting to their former teacher. "I can not thank you for accompanying Anne here, Miss Stacy."

"Muriel." She reminded Gilbert.

"Sorry, Dr. Oak and her husband, Benjamin are waiting outside with a carriage."

"Thank goodness for that, my back is killing me from the train, I don't think I could walk for very long." Muriel told him, and Anne agreed. Gilbert took their larger cases and led them through the platform, to the main part of the station, Anne paused to gape at the huge station with marble and gold accents. 

"Wait til you see outside." Gilbert grinned and watched her as she walked through the doors and saw the bustling street, filled with carriages, horses, and people, all in a rush. Stores and businesses were lining both sides of the street.

"I see Emily." Muriel said rushing toward her old friend. Gilbert let Anne gawk a few more minutes. "Don't worry, we will have time to explore." 

She followed him, closely, not wanting to get lost in the crowded, strange city and climbed in the back with Muriel and the Oaks. Anne didn't know what a female doctor should look like, if she was being honest, she had pictured someone plain, not that intelligent, ambitious women couldn't be beautiful, but Anne just thought if she were beautiful she would be too busy entertaining suitors to pursue an education. But Dr. Emily Oak was beautiful, large green eyes stared at her from a tiny little pixie face, smattered with freckles and dark brown hair that looked almost....it was auburn not brown. 

"You have red hair like me." Anne blurted out. "Well not like me. Mine is a horrid shade of red, not at all like your rich auburn. I can not tell you how many times I would pray to God and ask him to make my hair your exact colour, every morning I woke up to the same monstrous red. I think I could be quite content to have hair just like yours." She noticed Gilbert was smiling at her, Muriel was wearing her amused grin, she was used to Anne's ramblings by now, and the Oaks were looking astonished.

"Anne is not a fan of her hair, although I think it is most striking." Gilbert explained.

"As do I." Emily agreed and Benjamin nodded his agreement.

"Always been partial to red hair, myself." Benjamin said, putting his hand over Emily's.

"Me too." Said Gilbert, and Anne blushed all the way to her toes at the tone of his voice. Benjamin knocked on the roof of the carriage to signal to the driver they were ready and the carriage began to move.

They spent the next four days wandering the streets of Toronto with Muriel and Emily, going to all of Emily's and Gilbert's favourite places in the city. They wandered around Chinatown, Anne intrigued by the art, crafts and clothing for sale in the shops and stalls, she marvelled at the exoctic tasting food they tried in Toronto's first chinese cafe, she loved taking the streetcar, he took her to see the Flatiron building, Queen's Park and of course his school. The University of Toronto looked like a castle, complete with turrets and towers. Queens was beautiful but nothing like this, she was jealous that Gilbert got to study here, to simply exist in such a place.

He of course showed her his boarding house, from the outside, no women permitted, but she looked at the tall red, narrow building, with it's peaked roof and could imagine him running up the stairs, or talking to a few friends out front before rushing off to classes. 

The night before Promenade he dined with her, Muriel and the Oaks, afterward they all sat in the parlor and chatted, Gilbert pulled Anne to the far corner of the room.

"So I didn't tell you quite everything about Promenade..."

"What do you mean?"

He leaned in closer to whisper to her and she burst out laughing, covering her mouth and apologizing to the other three. "You aren't serious."

"I am deadly serious."

"Alright, I will do anything to help you."

"Thank you. He squeezed her hand, she wished they had even one chance to steal a kiss but Muriel and Emily were always there. They had turned out to be stricter chaperones than Rachel Lynde could ever hope to be.

"I feel absolutely ridiculous." Anne grumbled.

"I think you should consider adding a pair of pants to your permanent wardrobe." Muriel said, and Emily nodded. Both women were wearing their own pair of pants, of course they had on wide legged feminine versions of what she was wearing. Anne was wearing Gilbert's trousers, rolled up at the ankle because they were too long, his white dress shirt, his suspenders, vest, and suit jacket along with his cap. While she thought everyone in Toronto was staring at her and judging her...no one was really paying her any mind, there were around 75 other women dressed like her, wearing their sweetheart's, fiance's or husband's clothing, lining both sides of the street, along with family member's, other students, faculty, alumni, and others just there to watch the yearly spectacle. 

"I can not believe the future of medicine is doing something so..."

"Silly and fun?" Emily asked. It was silly and fun, she couldn't answer though because the main door to the building that housed the medical classes opened and the crowd started cheering. Out came the first year students, all wearing the ill fitted dresses of the women they loved. 

"Get ready." Emily yelled at her as the men teetered down the stairs, some of them actually wearing women's boots with heels. They hadn't been able to find a pair in Gilbert's size so he was wearing his own shoes. She strained her eyes looking for him, laughing gleefully when she spotted her bright blue velvet dress, hanging off one of his shoulders because his back was too wide for it to be fastened close. He had her hat with blue and white feathers, hanging off the side of his head and matching gloves, her parasol aloft above his head. He looked ridiculous and ridiculously handsome at the same time. "Go get him!" Emily shoved her and she joined two other girls in the crowd by them and raced out onto the road and weaved in between the men and found Gilbert, where she stopped in front of him. 

"Good Afternoon, Miss. It is a lovely day for a stroll, may I be so bold as to offer my company?" She asked him. His face was bright red from the embarrassment, but she could see relief fill his eyes that she had donned his clothes and joined him on the remainder of the Promenade, other couples forming as the women found their men. The students that didn't have any sweethearts or wives, were joined by friends, sisters, cousins, mothers, grandmothers and a few just linked arms with each other and continued the stroll. 

"How are you finding the weather today Mr...uh Miss Blythe?" She giggled.

"Quite lovely thank you, Mr Shirley-Cuthbert." He played along. "Thank you Anne."

"You know, the last time I wore your trousers I was too ill to notice how comfortable they are."

"They do beat wearing this dress and all the stuff underneath. Do you really wear this much everyday?"

"Of course not...I also wear a corset." She reminded him . "You know if you wanted to try on my clothes you could have..."

He interrupted her with a huge grin. "Could have broken into your house and tried them on when no one was home?"

"Just asked." She ignored his comment but felt the all too familiar heat fill her face. 

"I don't think I will wear this ever again, at least not willingly, but I had to admit, I am getting used to seeing you in mine. And I quite like it." He said close to her ear, sending a shiver down her spine. "When we are married, I would like to come home and find you attired like this...and then I would be greatly pleased to remove it all from you."

She gasped at his boldness, so unlike the perfect gentleman she knew. "I look forward to that day." She responded, enjoying the gasp she elicited from him.

**Author's Note:**

> The first Chinese restaurant didn't really open until 1901 in Toronto, I fudged that a bit, but everything else, aside from the Promenade itself, is historically accurate, I think. LOL


End file.
